Style star Sundays: Lauren Conrad

She may have gotten her start on a reality television show, but she’s more than another pretty face. This starlet, who celebrated her 28th birthday yesterday, is a published author, clothing designer and all-around expert when it comes to fashion, business and life in general.

In the first installment of Style Star Sundays, Life’s a Cup of Tea celebrates Lauren Conrad.

The beginning

Lauren was born February 1, 1986 in Laguna Beach, California, which is where she got her start in show business, with a role on a reality show taking place in her hometown.

Once the show ended, she moved onto another series, The Hills, which followed the lives of her and a few of her friends as they made names for themselves in the fashion industry– and like Laguna Beach, Lauren still faced drama, even though she wanted no part in it, as she lost old friends and made new ones.

Always in style, She left the show in 2009, and it ended shortly after, leaving Lauren moving on to bigger and better things.

Writing

Lauren signing her novel “Sugar and Spice” from the LA Candy Series. Photo/MTV

A great communicator, Lauren also writes. Her first book, L.A. Candy, was published in 2009, and the novel was followed with five other books in the series.

Lauren also published two advice-style non-fiction works, Lauren Conrad Style and Lauren Conrad beauty, where she shared her secrets for looking fabulous and encouraged young women to be confident in themselves.

Keeping up with the times, Lauren also gets in touch with fans through her interactive blog-style website, LaurenConrad.com, where her and other writers give insight on fashion, health, beauty, food and all things girly, in addition to offering giveaways, and a book club.

Lauren sporting a top from her Kohl’s clothing line, LC Lauren Conrad. Photo/TEEN

Lauren shares her style

Lauren connected with fans even more when she launched two clothing lines in 2009 and 2011, her Kohl’s line LC Lauren Conrad, and California-based boutique Paper Crown.

LC is a gorgeous line, one of the cutest collections at Kohl’s. She offers the essentials, everything from leggings and sweat shirts to suit jackets and embellished dresses.

The clothing is girly, but practical. It is clear Lauren has attention for detailing, with lots of lace, patterns and nice material.

The line appeals to many women, with clothes for many body shapes and sizes. Selling at Kohl’s also made them affordable.

Last year, she also brought bedding into the equation, with gorgeous comforters and sheet sets to truly make a house feel like home.

Next on the to-do list for Lauren is planning her wedding, and sharing the experience with her fans through her website and Pinterest page. But surely that’s not all she’ll be up to. In a Twitter chat with US Weekly, Lauren hinted at another book in the near future.

While she got her start on reality television, not many who had their fifteen minutes of fame can boast the success she has. At a net worth of $12 million, Lauren must be doing something right. Her passion for style and determination to work hard are admirable, making her a great role model on many levels.